Weekly Newsletter #17 - 7 June 2023
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Reflection
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From the Executive Director
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Share the Good News!
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CSPV Parent Connect News June 2023
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Catholic Education Update
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Catholic Identity and Mission Update
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NATSICC launches new website on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament
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People and Development Update
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Learning and Teaching Update
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Wellbeing Team Update
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Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Reflection
A Tiny Ripple….
The following reflection by Jim Quillinan explores Psalm 23 and its implications. He makes the connection between the ministry of Jesus, this text, and the lives of Christians today. Click here for reflection.
Let us pray
The Trinity Prayer
God For Us, we call You Father,
God Alongside Us, we call You Jesus,
God Within Us, we call You Holy Spirit.
You are the Eternal Mystery
That enables, enfolds, and enlivens all things,
Even us and even me.
Every name falls short of your Goodness and Greatness.
We can only see who You are in what is.
We ask for such perfect seeing.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
- Richard Rohr, OFM
From the Executive Director
EBA Update
All Principals would have received 3 Outlook invitations, following the publication of the Executive Directors update on 5 June, for information sessions to go through the voting process for the new EBA. Principals are encouraged to attend one of these sessions being held on 7 and 8 June.
Leadership Team Meeting
Yesterday the Leadership Team met at St Alipius Parish School. We were again welcomed by the students with a wonderful Acknowledgement of Country and Prayer. This meeting’s focus was on our new DigiTech Strategy which is designed to support DOBCEL schools as they look to harness the power of technology, pedagogy and environments for life-long learning. The team driving the DigiTech Strategy includes Principals and CEB staff. DigiTech Strategy is currently in the design stage and schools can look forward to finding out more about this strategy later in the year. Other topics discussed were an update on the EBA, the CEB Staff Engagement survey and an update on the CECV Digital Re-imagination.
St Alipius have designed their own NAIDOC Week t-shirt for 2023. Orders are open to the whole Diocesan community with orders closing on 16 June. Please contact St Alipius on 5331 1816 or email principal@saballarat.catholic.edu.au
King’s Birthday Public Holiday
I wish everyone a relaxing and peaceful long weekend as we enjoy a public holiday on Monday 12 June. I hope that this additional day helps you recharge your batteries for the cold Winter months that have arrived!
WGEA Report
At the end of May, DOBCEL submitted its second Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) report as required under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012. This report includes data relating to staff across each of the primary and secondary schools governed by DOBCEL, and the Catholic Education Ballarat office. The report will be provided to Board at their July meeting and the public reports shared in the staff newsletter after this.
Tom Sexton
Executive Director, Catholic Education Ballarat
Share the Good News!
We love how schools in the Diocese share good news stories via images on socials, newsletters, websites and other means.
We are looking to update our folder of high-quality photo images and would love to make use of your wonderful images in promoting Catholic Education in the Diocese of Ballarat.
Schools are encouraged to provide images of students, staff and school events (where permission for sharing with DOBCEL has been provided) for use in DOBCEL publications, website and social media.
Please forward your high-quality images to comms@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
Thank you!
CSPV Parent Connect News June 2023
You are invited to read and share the June 2023 edition of CSPV Connect News.
This issue includes various opportunities for parents to contribute their perspective in education as well as several parent webinars and resources to support children's safety and wellbeing.
CSPV have once again teamed with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and Department of Education to bring parents an informative webinar on the new VCE Vocational Major and changes for Year 10-12 student pathways.
The CSPA Parent Engagement Toolkit also features in this issue with many resources to explore including video case studies from schools in Australia.
Click here to download the June edition.
Catholic Education Update
Graduate Teachers.
A reminder that registration is open for the Graduate Teacher Day for the 2nd and 3rd year teachers in both Primary and Secondary Schools on 19th June 2023.
The venue for the professional learning is St Mary’s Parish Centre, Ararat and it will commence sharply at 9.30 am.
Use this link to register at Trybooking.
Teachers will explore how to cope with stressful environments in their teaching and personal lives. They will also be given strategies for positive classroom management and the opportunity to look at community/parent engagement.
Catholic Identity and Mission Update
Relationships and Sexuality Education - Fullness of life for All.
Registrations close this Friday 9th June!
Professional Learning for the Diocesan Scope and Sequence. Fullness of Life for All is taking place on Wednesday 14th June. Previously it has been advertised that this was taking place at the Country Plaza Halls Gap. The overwhelming majority of participants registered are from Ballarat, therefore this Professional Learning opportunity has been moved to Sovereign Park Motor Inn Main Rd Ballarat.
To register click here
This opportunity is designed for primary school educators and will explore the theological underpinnings of the resource and an opportunity to unpack the content and how this may look in individual school settings.
To assist primary schools who are not attending this important Professional Learning opportunity, on June 14 and may still like to access professional learning for Fullness of Life for All please contact Jim Waight on 0417869912 to develop an individual plan for your school/or a number of schools together. This could include a number of schools coming together in regional hubs, or individual schools tailoring a plan that best meets the needs of your school community.
Article Submitted by Jim Waight.
Upcoming Information Session with Catholic Theological College.
A range of professional learning opportunities at Catholic Theological College (CTC) are currently available. Find Your Path at CTC Online Information Session on Monday 19 June at 7.30pm (AEST) provides a helpful first step.
You are invited to attend the information session to discover the face-to-face and online offerings. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Of particular interest might be the units: Life in Christ: Foundations for Theological Ethics, Exploring the New Testament with Mark’s Gospel, or The Liturgy and The Sacraments of the Catholic Church.
For anyone interested in attending the information session, registration is essential. Click here to register.
Article Submitted by Kate Lawry.
NATSICC launches new website on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) has launched a new website called 'One Journey, Together' for Catholics to learn about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
The website hosts stories and anecdotes from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, Catholic figures and Catholic organisations.
People and Development Update
Child Safety - Diocesan Schools Child Safety Network Meeting.
A meeting is being held for the recommendations from the Child Safety Survey to be shared. This meeting also provides an opportunity for members to share practice and ask questions about embedding Child Safety in our schools.
Mary Lovelock, School Reviewer will share her collected ideas for Child Safety Standards (CSS) Implementation as well as be available to take questions about how to demonstrate the CSS in a review process.
- Date: Tuesday 13 June
- Time: 3.45pm- 4.45pm
- Guest Speaker: Mary Lovelock, School Reviewer
- Click here to join the meeting
Article Submitted by Jacqueline Righetti.
Flourish Wellbeing eMagazine – June 2023.
The June 2023 edition of Converge International’s Flourish Health and Wellbeing eMag is now available.
Featured Articles:
- Wanna Bet?
- Why should you plan for your retirement?
- Podcast – Children and Bullying.
Also in this edition:
- What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
- LGBTQI+ Pride Month.
- Your health & inflation.
- Good reasons to exercise this winter.
- What’s salt got to do with it?
- Living on a pension.
- Burnout and sleep.
- And more…
For more information about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) visit Converge International website.
Article Submitted by Tania Lund.
Learning and Teaching Update
Reflection of Data Literacy Day with Selena Fisk.
Thanks to schools who have reconnected as a group to review learning and ongoing school work from the Selena Fisk Data Storytelling workshops. These reconnctor sessions occurred last Thursday and today.
Participating schools are reminded that further dates for reconnecting and sharing data learning journeys are listed below for later this year.
Term 3: Reconnecting part 2 through an online forum
- Wednesday 2nd August 4:00 – 5:00pm Register here
Sharing of your action learning journey (Format of this to be confirmed)
- Tuesday 5th Sept or Thursday 7th Sept
Improving Literacy in the Secondary Years (ILSY) Professional Learning.
Forty participants from eight secondary schools in the Ballarat Diocese participated in the ILSY professional learning workshops on 24th and 25th May in Ballarat. On Day One, learning area leaders (LALs) from the faculties of Health and Physical Education, Technologies and The Arts came together to understand more about disciplinary literacy, identify the literate demands in their subjects and how different literacy strategies could be applied in their learning areas. Participants from each school will now work together to develop a literacy focused action learning project and present their findings in Term Three.
The inaugural ILSY Whole School Implementation Team (WSIT) professional learning program was held on the 25th May with previous ILSY participants and leaders of learning joining together as school teams to develop their understanding of how program logic thinking and planning tools can be applied to develop a whole school literacy improvement plan. School teams had an opportunity to work closely together under the guidance of Dr Rob Sbaglia, Dr Pauline Thompson and Professor Lariss McLean Davies from the University of Melbourne. Each school team will receive further online workshops, coaching and present their implementation plan in Term Four.
The ILSY professional learning program is a research partnership with the University of Melbourne which commenced in 2021. For the last three years, over 100 teachers and leadership staff from 11 secondary schools have participated in the three different programs provided as part of the ILSY professional learning suite for Learning Area Leaders, Executive and Whole School Implementation Teams.
The Evidence for Learning Improving Literacy in Secondary School Guidance Report has informed the development of the ILSY program. Further reading about this can be found here.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
The CECV Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Working Party has developed a Voice, Treaty, Truth Resource which contains credible websites, webinar/media clips and other resources to provide more information to schools and offices on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. There are many sources of information not listed and as more pertinent information is released, updated versions of the document will be made available.
If you have questions or would like to talk more, please contact Jeanette Morris (Education Officer: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education) on 0408 360 098 or email.
Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Moments for healing this country.
Catholic Social Services Victoria in conjunction with Catholic Social Services Australia have developed a series of three webinars – Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Moments for healing this country - designed to provide information and assist people to proactively engage with the upcoming referendum on Indigenous Constitutional Recognition and a Voice to Parliament.
A Note for Recording Accreditation Hours.
If you wish for attendance to contribute towards accreditation hours, please also enrol in the appropriate / available sessions (Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Moments for healing this country – Webinar Series) via the CEVN portal in addition to registering via the Trybooking page.
- Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Moments for healing this country - Webinar Series, Part 1 – Date: 25 May 2023 (Approval code: REC-015618)
- Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Moments for healing this country - Webinar Series, Part 2 – Date: 29 June 2023 (Approval code: REC-015619)
- Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Moments for healing this country - Webinar Series, Part 3 – Date: 27 July 2023 (Approval code: REC-015620).
First Session Date: Thursday 25 May 2023 (ended)
Second Session Date: Thursday 29 June 2023
Third Session Date: Thursday 27 July 2023
Time: 4.00 pm - 5.00pm AEST
Where: Via Zoom
Cost: $12.00 per session or $30.00 for all 3 Sessions. CSSV and CSSA members free of charge
Country Education Partnerships held its AGM on May 5.
Our Panel discussion - was about Boosting employability in our young people.
- Lisa Abbott - General Manager of GENU - Education and Training
- Paul Barbaro - Executive General Manager of Matchworks - recruitment, Employment and Training
- Angelique Zakkas - Senior Success Coach at Torrens University - Business & Hospitality
The topics discussed were about the building of soft skills in school where students experience bite-sized learning as opposed to formal pathways, encouraging occupational research to determine the skill sets required so that they are able to identify their core skills, self awareness, their passions and so their ability to transfer and pivot. Emotional Intelligence is the most important soft skill that needs to be experienced in order to be learned, developed and transferred. The ability to communicate, to interact, to innovate, to empathise, engage with and influence others above and beyond their technical skills. Skills that cannot be mechanised! Each of these organisations were working to develop opportunities for young people and those returning to work to identify their skills and support them to keep them connected and engaged in self development and community.
For more information about who and what CEP is go to www.cep.org.au or contact Mark McLay or Samantha Meerbach.
Articles Submitted by Learning and Teaching Team.
Wellbeing Team Update
Be You Educator Wellbeing.
- 21 June, 3.30 – 4.30pm
This session is open to all school staff across the Diocese. It will explore the 'Be You Wellbeing Plan for Educators'. The plan is designed to help you support your own mental health and wellbeing in the workplace and address the unique challenges you may experience as an educator.
It will assist you to consider practical strategies and resources you can use to promote and protect your wellbeing both in and outside of work. It will also help with planning ways to manage difficulties or disruptions at work, and to identify paths for help-seeking.
Details and registration information for this online session can be found here.
MTSS Behaviour Management Strategies.
We welcome back Dan Petro - Presentation on MTSS towards behaviour. See information attached below.
- Trybooking Link
- Date: 16th of June
- Time: 9.30am- 3.30pm
- Location : Ballarat / Glowrey Room
- Cost: $70
Please note registration closes 9 June.
Career Opportunities in the Diocesan Education Community
Principalship Opportunities.
- Principal – Ss Michael and John’s Primary School, Horsham (closes 3 July)
Catholic Education Ballarat.
- Payroll Officer – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 21 June)
- Social Justice Education Officer – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 23 June)
School Vacancies.
- Physics Teacher – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 June)
- Teaching Positions Term 3 and 4 – Loreto College, Ballarat – fixed-term at 1.0 FTE (closes 9 June)
- Classroom Teacher – St Mary’s School, Ararat – fixed-term position at 0.4 FTE (closes 13 June)
- Secondary Teachers – Monivae College, Hamilton – ongoing positions at 1.0 FTE (closes 13 June)
- English/Humanities Teacher – Monivae College, Hamilton – Term 3 LSL position (closes 13 June)
- Classroom Teacher (Term 3) – All Saints’ Parish School, Portland – fixed-term position at 0.8 FTE (closes 14 June)
Deputy Principal – St Brigid’s College, Horsham – fixed-term position at 1.0 FTE (closes 19 June)
- Classroom Teacher – St Mary’s School, Donald – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 22 June)
- School Services Administration Officer – Learning Innovation Support – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 23 June)
- English and Humanities Teacher – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 23 June)
- School Services Administration Officer – Indigenous Support – St Patrick’s College, Ballarat – ongoing position at 1.0 FTE (closes 23 June)
- Casual Relief Teachers – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal (closes 23 June)
Article Submitted by Jo Huntley.